Heretofore, dowel pins have been utilized in assembling various components, such as abutting furniture components. These dowel pins, particularly for furniture components, have been primarily constructed of wooden material and required the use of machinery for the placing of these dowel pins within mating bores of abutting furniture components. The placing of dowels by these machines often resulted in splitting of furniture components and damage to the dowel pins themselves as well as other related problems.